The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-18
THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.


Sunday school Convention, which we
print this week, there is resolution,
offered by Rev. L. G.. Powers, and
adopted by the Convention, requesting
THE UNIvERsALIsT to discontinue
the International Sunday-school lesson
which is printed each week, and fur
nish ''some other and better hints, helps
and suggestions for Sunday school
work.
While duly grateful for this sugges-
tion, always desirous of accommoda-
ting ourselves to the necessities of the
brethren, we must decline, at present,to
comply with the request. In the first
place, the Minnesota Convention is evil
IDENTIFY not well informed as to the main
reason why we publish each week a
Sunday lesson. 1t is not, as the
Convention seems to infer, for the pur-
pose of meeting the wants of our organ
lied Sunday schools, for these are sup
posed to have the Helper and other
Sunday school periodicals already in
their possession; but to meet the wants
of isolated families, who desire an out
line of Sunday school instruction, on
the basis Of the Universalist faith, and
for the benefit of those readers who
wish to understand the Universalist
view of the subjects discussed in
the International Series. The lesson
we print each week answers our pur-
pose admirably in both these directions,
and we recognize no necessity for
change. The lesson is not printed to
meet the special want Of the Sunday
school as the Sunday-school is organ
lied and under the care of responsible
and intelligent superintendent and
teachers; but for the advantage of those,
mainly outside of such instruction,
who are also desirous of understanding
the Universalist Interpretation of the
lessons which the orthodox church is
studying from week to week.
| L
UNIvERsALIsT prints is exactly adapt
ed to the purpose in view. 1t is care
fully prepared; gives rational and
scholarly exposition of the text; en-
forces Universalist doctrine on the
lines of the Winchester Profession; col
lates weekly, large amount of valua-
BILE historical and expository matter;
is readable and instructive; neglects nc
opportunity for the enforcement of
moral and spiritual truth, and is
well calculated to build up its readers
in the faith and polity of our organized
church. We take pleasure in present
ing the lesson each week to our enlarg-
ing constituency in contrast with the
same lesson as treated in orthodox pa
pers, fully believing that it is well
adapted to impart instruction; and
that, apart from the question of the
value of the International Lessons in
our schools, the lesson each week in
our columns meets we'll defined and
important want Of our constituency.
We do not propose to abandon it when
we know its peculiar usefulness, and
find by experience that it meets the spe-
cial and particular requirements of our
read ers.
AS to furnishing ''better hints, helps
and suggestions for Sunday school
work" that is contract we cannot un-
dertake at present. The space we give
to the lesson cannot, in our judgment, be
more proftably filed. We prefer these
carefully prepared lessons, reared on fa-
miliar outlines, to any''chip basket'per-
formance which we see in other papers.
And while the orthodox church studies
weekly the International Lessons, we
also recognize the privilege of present
ing a similar lesson each week from
the Universalist standpoint. For these
and other reasons which might be men,
toned, we must decline the request of
our Minnesota friends and shall con-
tinue to print the regular International
Lesson.